American presidents – what a coincidence!

As the disgraced Donald J Trump leaves the White House and Joe Biden becomes the 46^th President of the United States of America, it reminds us of some remarkable coincidences relating to the office of the leader of the free world. Our contributor Paul Whitelock takes a trip down Memory Lane.

Look what happens when a President gets elected in a year with “0” at the end. Also, notice that it goes in increments of 20 years:

1840:     William Henry Harrison (died in office)

1860:     Abraham Lincoln (assassinated)

1880:     James A Garfield (assassinated)

1900:     William McKinley (assassinated)

1920:     Warren G Harding (died in office)

1940:     Franklin D Roosevelt (died in office)

1960:     John F Kennedy (assassinated)

1980:     Ronald Reagan (survived assassination attempt)

2000:     George W Bush (did his best to “assassinate” his reputation)

2020:     Joe Biden (watch this space …..)

This is interesting:

Abraham Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1846; John F Kennedy was elected to Congress in 1946.

Abraham Lincoln was elected President in 1860; John F Kennedy was elected President in 1960.

Both were particularly concerned with civil rights.

Both wives lost children while living in the White House.

Both presidents were shot on a Friday.

Both were shot in the head.

Now it gets really weird:

Lincoln’s secretary was named Kennedy; Kennedy’s secretary was named Lincoln!

Both Lincoln and Kennedy were assassinated by Southerners.

Both were succeeded by Southerners named Johnson. Andrew Johnson, who succeeded Lincoln, was born in 1808; Lyndon B Johnson, who succeeded Kennedy, was born in 1908!

John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated Lincoln, was born in 1839; Lee Harvey Oswald, who assassinated Kennedy, was born in 1939!

Both assassins were always known by their three names; both names are composed of 15 letters!

Now, hold on tight to your seat:

Lincoln was shot at a theatre named Ford.

Kennedy was shot in a “Lincoln” model of car, manufactured by Ford.

Booth and Oswald were themselves assassinated – both before they could come to trial!

And here’s the real kicker:

A week before Lincoln was shot, he was in Monroe, Maryland.

A week before Kennedy was shot, he was allegedly “in” Marilyn Monroe!